Bowling ball grip



Patented Dec. 8,. 1953 llJClaim.; 1 (Cl. 2731-4-63 The presentinvention; relates-etc astandard l'mviinfcr-ball which` is thought to fbearr` obvious arhjlance#andi improvementin the-art' of'bowling bali constructions-in that'it--haswhat-isrthought toflbef-afsuperionand far more eicient grip.

llt-'fissa matterof common knowledgeto those skilled' in-thefartf to whichfthe-invention relates that f bowlingballsLagrefmade-to provide two-'fingeredlfto fcur-fingeredlgrips; Therefore,- a `bowlingball may be-picturedgfin-its simplestI form, as having-at least=two=properly1angled sockets one formingI ai, soea-lled=f-finger hole and the f other a thumb hole. Naturally; the holes are of different lengths'and-diameters.2 Generally, the common finger hole-'is cylindrical incross-section although other-cross-seetional -shapeshave been appropriated-for use. Nevertheless; and not withstanding theeor-ts-.of'i manufacturers to produceA finger holes` bestsuited: for overallV eicient Agripping resultsithe way for-improvements is still clear. In the circumstances, an object offthe-present invention is to provide finger holes which have diametrically;oppositersubstantially flat converging walls. The walls converge toward what may be described asfthe inner#vpalmarfwallI ofa't-he" hole and whernthie.` ball isigripned; andaswung, the weightbf same and the tendency to squeeze theaballgcauses the fingerstowedge andg thus more securelyV lodge themselyess.. in the= holes,

whereby tob'ring about a moresure and. reliable grip. A

Another object ofthe invention is to have the converging Wedging walls of the respective holes converge toward the crown portion of the ball so that the squeeze action causes the fingers to approach each other and further equalizes and insures a desired and efficient grip, yet allowing the fingers to be eased out of the holes when the bowler releases the ball.

A more general object of the invention is to improve as far as possible on known bowling ball grips and to provide a ball in which manufacturers and bowlers will find their expected needs fully met and effectually available.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a bowling ball having the improved grip herein covered;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the approximate line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig-ure 3 isan enlarged fragmentary section taken onthelineV 3-3- of Figure-1, looking'inhthe direction= of the-arrows; and,

Figure 4- isahorizontal fragmentary section onthe line 4 4 of' Figure 3, also looking-Lin-the direction-of the arrows; Y

The ball which is conventional, is denotedby then referencel character A and thewindexy finger Aholeisdencted at B;A the--second-fingerhole at C;

v isfbelieved that insofarY asv the-outerk 'waltV |12# is concerned it is Lof no significance excepttliatdt functionsto locate thelfinger, confines-#it and affords unrestrained clearance as l it"slipsv out of the hole. However, the inner-*palmariwalllll isK not only4 relatively narrowfbut preferably concave to conform tothe fleshy part' off the finger on the palmar side off the finger: The

finger appears inY phantom linesA andrisdenotcd at.. EA in- .the drawings; f The principal surfaces are three and these are the opposed substantially parallel fiat converging walls 6 and 8 and the narrower palmar wall I0. The three walls form a wedge-shaped pocket and when pressure is applied on the finger during the time of taking the grip on the ball, the fleshy part of the finger rides into the constricted portion of the pocket and the finger is thus frictionally jammed and lodged in place. The idea is not to cram the finger in the crotch to a point that it will become cramped and immobile. On the other hand, the degree of divergence ofthe walls 6 and 8 should be such that the finger becomes firmly lodged in the crotch. Obviously, with a three-holed ball and with the holes having the wedging walls herein shown and described, a firm grip is had and the grip becomes more secure as the ball is squeezed between the several fingers while it is swung back and forth in the usual pendulous fashion before it is released for projection.

It will be noticed too that the Walls of the two holes B and C converge in the same direction.

The direction of the narrow or palmar walls l IU-IU is toward the crown portion I4 on the ball surface. The same is true of the thumb hole D. That is to say, the walls B and 8 in this hole D also converge in a direction toward the crown I4. Or, to put it otherwise, the side walls 6 and 8 of each hole converge from the outward transverse wall l2 to the inner transverse or palmar wall l0. This means, therefore, that the natural movement of index and second iingers toward the thumb when the ball is squeezed during the throwing steps is to take advantage of the squeeze in conjunction with the wedging action to absolutely insure a positive grip, yet one which will not, after due experimentation, cause the fingers to needlessly hang in the holes at the moment of ball release.

In adopting the hole shapes shown it is important to stress the fact that -a nger more nearly conforms to this grip all during the release of the ball. The grip when thought of as a means of manually grasping and holding the ball, is a grip. But it is a grip only until the last instant of release from the hand; for, at that instant, the thumb naturally comes out of the ball rst. Then, the remaining two holes serve as slides or guides as well as suitable grip means to prevent the ball from coming oir" the ngers at a tangent and causing inaccuracy. Because the human ngers are naturally tapered, this V-slide truly ts the ngers all the way from the larger diameter of the ringer at the second joint to the tip of the nger. The wedge shape naturally accommodates the gradual taper or" the nger.

To illustrate simply it is only necessary to place the secondvand index nger in a pair of round holes and withdraw slowly. The ngers only t the hole when they are completely inserted. As they are withdrawn the finger gradually looses gripping contact with the walls of theA holes. Do the same with the improved wedge-shaped lengthwise crotches or guides land the finger has controlled gripping contact all the way out of each socket. This important fact accounts for a more reliable accurate release and a controlled delivery.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the inventionas illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty suicient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Changes in shape, size, materials, number of holes and rearrangement of holes and nominal allowances and tolerances may be, if within the scope of the claim, resorted to in practice.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: In a bowling ball construction, a conventionaltype spherical ball having at least two radial sockets converging toward each other and the center of the ball and having their outer ends opening through the convex surface of the ball, said sockets defining complemental holes, one a finger hole and the other a thumb hole, each hole being generally triangular in cross-section and embodying a pair of individual opposed iiat side walls and a narrow intervening palmar wall of a width less than the gwidth of the palmar portion of the linger which is opposed thereto and cooperates therewith, said side walls converging toward said palmarwall and defining asubstantially V-shaped ringer-receiving, retaining guiding and squeezing channel, said channel ranging from the bottom of the hole and opening through the convex surface of the ball and allowing the nger to constantly contact and conform to the general cross sectional shape of thechannel and to guide gradually from the hole by way of the channel while havingcontact with said converging side walls during the Ywithdrawing step until the instant the` tip of the linger emerges through the entrance of said hole, the palmar surfaces of the respective holes being disposed inwardly ytoward each other whereby the respective channels are disposed in opposed wedging relationshipresulting in a 'squeezing action and a resultant efficient grip, yet allowing the nngers to be eased o ut of the holes when the bowler release the ball. Y

THOMAS R. UHAS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bates Oct. 18, 1949 

